Wardrobe trunk



March 30 1926.

B. DAVIDSON WARDROBE TRUNK Filed May 51.

Patented lVlar. 3Q, '1926. 1

BENJAMIN DAVIDSON, 013 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

wannnonn TRUNK.

' 'aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, B NJAMIN DixvmsoN,

.a citizen of the United States, and a'resident oflios Angeles, in thecounty of Los Anlfication. V V

This invention relates in general to wardrobetrunks, and more partcularly to a de- .vice embodied 'in t'he trunk including means overlyingthe garment hangers which are slidably supported .in the trunk,together;

-with means adjustably connected therewith and. adapted to be locked inposition in front of the clothes or garments supported in the trunkwhereby when the trunk is open unauthorized access to the garments willbe prevented, and'when the trunk is closed the garments and the hangersi on which they are held will be firmly secured in position againstmovement.

It is usually customary in the manufacture of wardrobe trunks to providea pair of horizontal rods near the sides of the trunk in one of-themaincompartments thereof, on which a plurality of garmenthangersgarereinovablyand slidably held, and it is an' object of this invention toprovide a device of substantially rigid character which will overlie theupper edges of the garment hangers, together witha crossbar or othersuitable means suspended substantially below the level. of thefirstmentioned member and also adjustably held in position, and astandard connecting the upper and lower nembersand adapted to be lockedto the lower -member so that the several members when locked togetherwill hold'thegarment hangers firmly in position on said rods, andagainst movement, and at the same time serve to hold the clothes orgarments firmly .-'within the compartment of the trunk so that theymaynot be displaced during themovement of the trunk. 7.

Such a dev ce provides means whereby when the trunk is open the garmentsmay be locked in a compartment offthe trunk without looking or closingthe trunk.

r Other objects may appear as the description progresses. V i

Although I may modify or change my inyention within the scope of theappended same, partly in section.

. the sides Application memes 31, 1924. Serial No 717,163."

claims without departing from the spiritthereof, -I have shown only one.practical iormiof device in the accompanying'drawings', in which:

- TUNlTEDiSTATfiE Fig. 1 is a perspective'view of a wardrobe 'trunk,open so as to show the general arrangementthereof, and to which myimprovements are adapted to be applied.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the Fig. 3 is a transversesectional elevation of the same. Y

'- Fig. 4, is a perspective' view of a suitable member embodied in myinventioriforoverlying the garment hangers for retaining them 1nposition,

- Fig.' 5 is a perspective view of a-lc ross arm embodied 1Il 11lyinvention, adapted, to be ad ustably connectedfwith the men'iber shownin Fig. 4.

Y Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view. ot a suitable latch bar twoof which areleniployed in my invention for adjustable c0n- IlGCtlOIlwith the erossarm shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 1s a fragmentary View,slightly enlarged, ime device shown n Fig. 2, and constitutes a modifiedform of the device shown therein.v

-A- wardrobe trunk of the character shown in Fig. ,1 is adaptedto bevertically disposed and to rest on one of its ends. for the purpose ofafitording' accessito the interior of the trunk, The. trunkis composedof two main portionsas at' Aand B, and the'por tion Agusually has asingle compartment 1. adapted for the reception of garments which areheld'in positionfon a plurality of han The rods R', B havetelescopingportions .ers H, H, etc; Said hangers are slidab y I Rthereon by means of whichv the hangers may be extended outwardly fromthe, front of compartment 1'. The rods R are attached at th'ei'rfinnerends to a metallicfb a'r 2 permanently secured to the rear wall of thetrunk and their outer ends are attached to 4 of the trunk by meansQfbfimkets5..

The upper end C of portion 'A, as shown in Fig. 1, is. usually hinged tothe rear wall 3, so that the upper end of compartment 1 may be Openedfor affording access to the compartment and rendering the garmentstherein more readily accessible.

' Now,'my improvements are adapted to be applied to and connected with atrunk of the character shown in Fig. 1 by means hereinafter described,and include an upper lil member D, a vertical bar E, and across bar F,separately formed and adapted to be adjustably connected together forattaining the objects of my invention hereinbefore set forth.

The member D is clearly shown in Fig. 1, and embodies a metallicstructure either of integral or composite form, but suitably ribbed soas to reinforce the same. Member D includes end portions 6, 6, which areadapted to overlie the curved portions ,7 of the hangers H, H, etc. Theend portions 6, 6 are connected by means of side portions 8, 8, and saidside portions are connected intermediate of the end portions 6, 6, bymeans of a ribbed portion 9. At the corners of member D, I providevertical extensions 10, 10, etc., which have recesses 11, 11, etc.,formed therein and adapted to engage and rest upon the rods R, R, whichserve to support the portions 7, 7, of the hangers H. Member D ishingedly held on bar 2 by means of openings (Z, (Z, "formed near therear edge'thereof, and adapted to receive bent lugs 2, 2 formed onmember 2. Thus the member D may be swung backward out of contact withhinges H.

The central portion 9 of member F is provided with an elongated slot 12,and a plurality of notches 13 which are formed on opposite sides of theslot 12, the notches on one side of said slot being in registration withthose on the other side, so as to receive and hold in ad usted positionthe upper end 14 of member E..

Member E maybe provided with ribs 15 on opposite'sides thereof for thepurpose of lending strength thereto, and the upper por- "rest on theportions 6, 6 of .member D atpoints over the rodsR, It. Portion 14 ofmember E is also wider than the notches 13,

13 on opposite sides thereof so as to provide a shoulder which willoverlie the upper surface ofportion 9 when in theposition shown in Fig.2, and immediately below the portion 14a narrower portion 17 is formedwhich corresponds to the width ofand is adapted to seat in the notches13, 13 on opposite sides of slot 12, so as to prevent the member E-being turned with respect to the member D.

Immediately below theportion 17 of member E a substantially narrowerportion 18 is formed which corresponds substantially to'the width ofnotch 12. Thus, the upper portion of member E when disconnected frommember F would be turned at right angles by slightly elevating themember E until the portion 18eregisters with the slot 12; Member E maythen be moved rearwardly or forwardly in the slot 12 and then lowered sothat the portion 17 will' fit in two of the opposite notches 13.

The lower end 19 of member E is slidably held in a strap 20 fiXedto theinner side of cross arm 1* and also slides through an opening 21 in theuppermost rib 22 of said member, and a lock L of any suitable form andincluding a member 23 attached to member E, and a member 24 attached tomember F, is provided, whereby member E' compartment 1.

' On the opposite sides 4:, 1 of the portion A oi the trunk, I provide,a pair of latch bars 25, 25, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, which a have aplurality of notches 26, 26, etc,

formed on their lower edges, and which are attached at their ends 27,27, by rivets or otherwise to the sides 4-, 4 of the trunk, the centralnotched portions of said latch being bent outwardly for a short distancefrom the sides 4. i

The member l? is providedwitha pair of ribs 22, 22 on the sides, theuppermost rib of which terminates short of the ends of; the cross bar,so that the upper edge'portions 28, 28 will engage and be firmly held inthe notches 26 of the latch bars 25.

' In operation, when. the garments have been piaced on the hangers H inthe compartment 1, and said hangers together with rods it have beenretracted into the compartment 1 of portion A of the trunk, the member Dis placed in position over'the upper edges of the hangers H, as shown inFigs. 1 and 2, with the portions 10 thereof resting upon the rods R.Thereafter the member E is inserted in the slot 10 "and moved backwardlyagainst the garments until the garments are tightly compressed togetherin the rear portion of compartment. 1 so as to be incapable of movementand displacement from the hangers. Member E is then turned into theposition shown in Fig. 2, and the upper end 14:- thereof is seated in apair of the notches 13. The cross bar F is then moved backwardly overthe notches lower edges. of latch. bars 25 and against the garments forholding the lower portions of the garments firmly in position, and mem-90' fording access to the garments Within the ping thel'atch portion23intothe lock por- I-tion 24: of lock'L; 11

suitable device to prevent the complete separation of the membersE andF, butperinltsing the suflicient movement of member E relative to memberF so as to effect the proper adjustment of the several parts of mydevice, forthe purpose stated. This mayor may not, however, benecessary, and is not material to'my invention. Member D may be'forniedof sheet metal and in such )case the bar E of member'E will holdmein-"her D firmly in position. If, however, member D is of sufiicientstrength thebar E may be omitted. I Referring to Fig. 7, I haveshown amodified form of device in which the members D r and E are altered toprovide probably a more preferable form of device than I have the memberD hasopening's between the end portions 6, 6, and the central ribbedportion 9, and the upper end of the member E is provided with rightangularly formed poi-'- tions 41,0011 each side thereof, below theportion 17 which are integral'with the end portions 0, c. The portions0, e are substantially in the plane of the upper end 14: of member E,while the portions (.11., a, are de pressed below the level of the ribs16 of portion 9 of member D.- Thus, the standard E may'be'elevated asshown in Fig. 7, and said standard moved transversely over the portion 9of member D to selected, positions, and when again lowered the portions6, e,

hereof'will rest upon the hangers II and over the rods R, R.

It will be understood from the foregoing thatI have provided asatisfactory, econom- .ical and efficient device which serves to holdthe clothes firmly in position in the back of the compartment 1 of thetrunk, and at thesame time by means of its engagement with the upperends of the hangers'I-I, the device serves the purpose of retaining thehangers firmly on' the rods R and against displacement due to themovement and."

rough handling of the trunk when in shipment. 1 I am aware that otherdevices have been employed heretofore in trunks of' this character forholding tlieclothes in position, andv that devices have been embodied inthe "has heretofore embodied in a trunk of this character the severalimprovementshereinbefore set forth, and I desire to claim broadlythereon.

claimist; 1 3 i 1. *In a wardrobe tr mk having'rods held k V I in theupper end'thereof, .aiidihangers slid- The member E" is preferablyprovided with a pm as at 29, at its lower end, orother ably disposed onsaid rods for supporting garments, means overlying" said hangers andincluding members disposed 111' front of said garments and hangers andsubstantially below said-hangers, adapteditobe locked together forpreventingunauthorizedaccess to said garments.

ably disposed on said rods'for supporting f garments, means overlyingsaid hangers and including members disposed'in-front of said garmentsand hangers and substantially-below said hangers, adapted to belockedtogether-for preventingunauthorized access to said garments, saidmembers being adjustably connected together.

3. A wardrobe trunk having parallel rods fixedly held therein andgarment hangers slidably and removably held thereon, a re- 7 tainingmember adapted to overlie the upper edges of said hangers and slidablyheldon said rods, a bar adjustably connected with said retaining memberand. adapted to be disposed in front of said hangers, and a cross barsubstantially below said hangers and adapted to be locked to said otherbar whereby said members will be held in selected positionsforpreventing unauthorized access to the garments supported on saidhangers. V

4. A wardrobe trunk having parallel rods fixedly held therein andgarment hangers slidablyand removably held thereon, a retaining memberadapted to overlie the upper V edges of said hangers and slidablyheld onsaid rods, a bar adpistably connected with said retaining member andadapted-to be disposed in front of said hangers, a cross barsubstantially below said hangers-and adapted, to be lockedto saidotherbar where; by saidmembers will be held in selected poiio sitionsfor preventing unauthorizedaccess to v the garments supported on saidhangers,

and means attached to the sides ofthetrunk for selective engagement withsaid. cross bar for holding the cross bar in ad usted p0- sitions andagainst disengagement therefrom when the device is locked.

5. .In a'wardrobe trunk the combination with a pair of fixed parallelrods,and a plu .rality ofjhan'gers slidably and removably mountedthereon, of a retaining member overlying said hangers and 'suppo'rted onsaid rods, a cross bar substantially below said retaining member andadjustable longivtudinally of said rods,and a vertical bar adjustablyconnected withsaid retaining ember and slidably connected with andadapted to be locked to said-cross bar,-forthepun'- pose described.

6. In a wardrobe trunk the combination 3 with a pair of fixed parallelrods, and a plurality of hangers slidably and removably mounted thereon,of a retaining member overlying said hangers and supported on said rods,a cross bar substantially below said retaining member and adjustablelongitudinally of said rods, a vertical bar adjustably connected withsaid retaining memher and slidably connectedflvitliand adapted same maybe held in selected positions and agzunst movement When the device islocked.

BENJAMIN DAVIDSON.

